Truck load bed boat loader and carrier

ABSTRACT

A ramp structure for support from the rear load carrying portion of a truck and including opposite side elongated and forwardly and upwardly inclined boat trailer wheel ramps and a center inclined guide rail along which a follower guidingly engaged therewith is movable. Removable inclined rearward wheel ramp extensions are provided for the rear ends of the wheel ramps and include rear end portions for support from the ground while the follower includes structure for removably coupling the front end of a boat trailer tongue thereto. Further, the ramp structure includes a forward elevated portion thereof from which a winch assembly is supported and the winch assembly includes a winch line for attachment to a rear portion, such as the axle assembly of a boat trailer.

United States Patent 1 Long et al.

[451 May 22, 1973 [54] TRUCK LOAD BED BOAT LOADER AND CARRIER [76]Inventors: Delmer B. Long, 3021 N.E. Johnson Street; Lewis E. Shelton,3010 N.E. Johnson Street, both of Roseburg, Oreg. 97470 [22] Filed: Jan.13, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 2,583

[52] U.S. Cl ..214/450, 214/85.l, 224/421 H [51] Int. Cl .1360! 9/00[58] Field of Search ..2l4/450, 85.1;

224/42.l H, 29 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,411,64411/1968 Cook ..214/45O 2,765,938 10/1956 DiAddezio ..214/85.1

Primary ExaminerRobert G. Sheridan Assistant Examiner-John MannixAttorney-Clarence A. OBrien and Harvey B. Jacobson [57] ABSTRACT A rampstructure for support from the rear load carrying portion of a truck andincluding opposite side elongated and forwardly and upwardly inclinedboat trailer wheel ramps and a center inclined guide rail along which afollower guidingly engaged therewith is movable. Removable inclinedrearward wheel ramp extensions are provided for the rear ends of thewheel ramps and include rear end portions for support from the groundwhile the follower includes structure for removably coupling the frontend of a boat trailer tongue thereto. Further, the ramp structureincludes a forward elevated portion thereof from which a winch assemblyis supported and the winch assembly includes a winch line for attachmentto a rear portion, such as the axle assembly of a boat trailer.

16 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures Patented May 22, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q3mQ m9 mn Q N3 v QQ mQ QQ m wk 9Q vQ m& 9% NQ 59k 6 m w W Wm Maw. h .5 B.F 5 m aw w DL m Patented May 22, 1973 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 De/mer 8. LongLew/s E She/fan I N VIZ N T0 Rs TRUCK LOAD BED BOAT LOADER AND CARRIERThe truck load bed boat loader and carrier of the instant invention hasbeen designed to provide a means whereby a conventional boat trailer aswell as the boat supported therefrom may be loaded onto the load bed ofa pickup truck in an efficient manner.

Pickup trucks are often used by campers and other sportsmen for travelinto and out of remote camping or sporting regions and while somesportsmen utilize relatively expensive camper bodies mounted on theirpickup trucks while camping, other sportsmen utilize camping or housetrailers which are towed behind the pickup trucks to and from thecamping or sporting areas.

When a camper body is utilized on a pickup truck, a boat trailer may bereadily towed behind the pickup truck. However, when a camping traileror house trailer is towed behind the pickup truck, a boat trailer maynot be towed behind the camping or house trailer. In addition, when acamper body is utilized by sportsmen, the picku truck may not be readilymoved over rough terrain to a hunting or fishing site and accordinglysports men often find it necessary to demount a camper body and set upcamp before the desired remote sporting area is reached so that they maythereafter proceed to the sporting area in the pcikup truck without thecamper body mounted thereon.

Of course, camping'and boat trailers may be towed over reasonably roughground and accordingly, it is the main object of this invention toprovide a means whereby the owner of a pickup truck may transport notonly a camping trailer but also a loaded boat trailer to a remotecamping area by utilizing a pickup truck or the like.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediatelypreceding object, is to provide a readily demountable structure on apickup truck load bed operable to pull a loaded boat trailer up onto thepickup truck load bed for support therefrom during transit and in amanner such that the positioning of the boat trailer and boat on thepickup truck load bed will not interfere with the towing of a houseor acamp trailer behind the pickup truck.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device inaccordance with the preceding objections specifically designed tohandle, load and carry a conventional boat trailer having a boatdisposed thereon.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device in accordancewith the preceding objects constructed in a manner whereby it may bereadily adjusted for support from different pickup truck load beds.

A further important object of this invention is to provide a pickuptruck load bed boat loader and carrier constructed in a manner wherebythe over-all height of the pickup truck and carrier will be maintainedat a minimum when a boat and boat trailer are not supported from thecarrier so as to thereby free the unladen pickup truck for ease intravel over rough terrain.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein isto provide a pickup truck load bed boat loader and carrier in accordancewith the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms ofmanufacture, be of simple construction and easy to mount and dismount soas to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lastingand relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional form of pickup truckwith the boat loader and carrier of the instant invention supportedtherefrom and a boat trailer having a boat disposed thereon mounted uponthe carrier;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the assemblage illustrated in FIG. 1 withthe boat trailer and boat removed;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse vertical sectional viewtaken substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 3-3 of FIG.1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional viewtaken substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 4-4 of FIG.1;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the boat loader and carrier;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view illustrating themanner in which the upper end portion of the guide rail structure of theboat loader and carrier is removably supported from the front supportframe of the boat loader and carrier;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view illustrating themanner in which the upper end of one of the wheel ramps of the carrieris mounted and also the manner in which a wheel chock is removablysupported from the upper end of the trailer wheel ramp;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the manner in whichthe rear end of one of the wheel ramps is supported from the load bed ofthe pickup truck and the upper forward end of a ramp extension isremovably supported from the rear end of the wheel ramp; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upona plane passing through the center of the guide track mounted carrier towhich the forward end of the boat trailer tongue is removably securedand on somewhat of an enlarged scale.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10generally designates a conventional form of pickup truck including frontwheels 12 and rear wheels 14. The truck 10 also includes a forward cab16 and a rear load bed assembly referred to in general by the referencenumeral 18. The load bed assembly 18 includes opposite side wallstructures 20 and 22 which are interconnected by means of a flooring 24and it may be seen that each of the side wall structures 20 and 22includes inner and outer wall panels 26 and 28 interconnected alongtheir upper marginal edge portions by means of a top wall panel 30.

The top wall panels 30 include longitudinally spaced openings 32, 34 and36 defining upwardly opening sockets in which depending anchor portionsof side extensions (not shown) may be engaged.

The foregoing may be considered as a description of a conventional formof pickup truck.

The boat loader and carrier of the instant invention is referred to ingeneral by the reference numeral 38 and includes a pair of elongatedchannel-shaped ramps 40 and 42, a pair of rearward ramp extensions 44and 46 and an elongated guide rail structure referred to in general bythe reference numeral 48 including a downwardly and rearwardly inclinedlower end portion 50 and a forwardly projecting generally horizontalforward end portion 52.

Each of the ramps 40 and 42 includes front and rear depending supports54 and 56. The front supports 54 include generally parallel upstandingshort and long legs 58 and 60 interconnected at their upper ends bymeans of a horizontal bight portion 62 and each of the short legs 58 isreceivable downwardly in the corresponding opening 34 with theassociated bight portion 62 resting upon the top wall panel 30. Each ofthe long legs 60 includes an adjustable downwardly extendible tubularfoot portion 64 which may be retained in adjusted position by means ofany suitable fastener 66 for full seated engagement of the foot portion64 with the floor 24 of the load bed assembly 18.

Each of the supports 56 includes a pair of upstanding legs 68interconnected by means of a bight portion 70 and the ends of each ofthe legs 68 includes a similar adjustable foot portion 64 which also maybe retained in adjusted position by means of a fastener 66. The supports56 are supported from opposite side portions of the rear end portion ofthe flooring 24 with their foot portions 64 adjusted as desired and theupper end of each ramp 40 includes a horizontal portion 72 which issecured by fasteners 74 to a slotted mounting plate 76 secured to thecorresponding bight portion 62. The forward ends of the horizontalportions 72 curve upwardly as at 78 and are braced by means of diagonalbraces. In addition, the upper end of each ramp 40 includes a removablechock assembly 82 anchored just rearward of the corresponding horizontalportion 52 by means of a removable pin 84 secured through the chockassembly 82 and the side flanges of the ramp 40.

Each of the bight portions 70 also has a slotted mounting plate 86secured thereto in any convenient manner similar to the mounting plate76 and a pair of removable fasteners 88 are utilized to secure the rearend of each ramp 40 to the-corresponding mounting plate 86. The rearends of the ramps 44 include transversely spaced axially aligned hingebarrels 90 between which similar hinge barrels 92 carried by the upperends of the ramp extension 44 are receivable and removable hinge pins 94are secured through the hinge barrels 90 and 92 so as to secure theupper ends of the ramp extensions 44 and 46 to the lower ends of theramps 40 and 42. Further, the lower ends of the ramp extensions 44include horizontal load pads 96 for engagement with the ground 97 uponwhich the pickup truck rests.

A mounting block referred to in general by the reference numeral 98 isprovided and includes an upper elongated plate 100 which extendstransversely of the central portion of the rear marginal edge of theflooring 24. The plate 100 has its opposite ends supported by means ofspacer blocks 102 secured to the floor 24 and to which the opposite endsof the plate 100 are secured. Accordingly, a longitudinal passage 104 isdefined beneath the plate 100 between the blocks 102.

The rear lower end of the guide rail structure 48 includes a horizontalload pad or foot 106 including a rearward extension 108 which isreceivable in the passage 104 for securing the rear end of the guiderail structure 48 to the floor 24.

The rear end portion 50 of the guide rail structure 48 terminatesupwardly in a forwardly curving portion 1 10 whose forward end mergessmoothly with the forward end portion 52 of the guide rail structure 48.The forwardly curving portion 110 includes a depending aperturedmounting lug 112 which is secured between a pair of apertured mountinglugs 114 by means of a fastener 116. The mounting lugs 114 are carriedby and project rearwardly from the central portion of an' upperhorizontal member 118 of a support frame referred to in general by thereference numeral 120. The support frame 120 includes upstandingopposite side members 122 and 124 and the upper horizontal member 118 aswell as a lower horizontal member 126. The horizontal members 118 and126 are tubular and the members 122 and 124 include upper and lowerlaterally inwardly projecting arms 128 and 130 which are secured inadjustably telescoped positions within the members 118 and 126 by meansof fasteners 132. The upper and lower member 118 and 126 areinterconnected by means of vertical members 134 from which a winchassembly referred to in general by the reference numeral 136 issupported and it may be seen that the winch assembly 136 includes awinding member 140 upon which one'end portion of an elongated flexibletension member 142 is wound.

The opposite side members 122 and 1124 include upper and forwardlyconvergent braces 144 and 146 whose rear ends are secured to the members122 and 124 and whose forward ends are secured to lower opposite sideportions of the forward end portion 52 of the guide rail structure 48.In addition, each of the members 122 and 124 includes upward extensions122 and 124' and a pair of forwardly convergent braces 144' and 146'have their rear ends secured to the upper ends of the extensions 122'and 124' and their forward ends secured to forward lower opposite sideportions of the guide rail structure 48 and the forward ends of thebraces 144 and 146. Thus, the forward end portion 52 of the guide railstructure 48 is rigidly braced from the support frame 120 and it may beseen in FIG. 5 of the drawings that adjustable length inclined bracemembers 148 have their upper ends pivotally secured to mounting ears 150carried by the upper ends of the members 122 and 124 and their rear endspivotally secured to apertured mounting ears 152 carried by the upperends of the short legs 58 of the supports 54.

The lower ends of the members 122 and 124 are re ceived downwardly inthe openings 32 and the undersurface portions of the arms 130 abut thetop wall portions 30 of the side wall structures 20 and 22. Thus, it maybe seen that the boat loader and carrier 38 may be adjusted so as tocompensate for pickup trucks having different spacing between the sidewall structures thereof and different spacing between the upwardlyopening sockets defined by the openings 32 and 34.

With attention now invited more specifically to FIG. 9 of the drawingsthere may be seen a follower assembly referred to in general by thereference numeral and which includes an inverted channel member 162including an upper bight portion 164 and depending opposite sides 166between which a pair of rollers 168 are journalled. The lower marginaledge portions of the sides 166 include inturned flange portions 170 andthe inner marginal edge portions of the flanges 70 underlie the oppositeside marginal edges portions 172 of the horizontal flange portion 174 ofthe T-shaped guide rail structure 48 whereby the follower 160 isrollingly and guidingly supported from the guide rail structure 48.

The channel member 62 includes an upwardly projecting ball member 172captively and universally received within the slotted lower dependingportion 174 of a mounting sleeve portion 176 of the follower 160. Themounting sleeve portion 176 includes a setscrew 178 and is adapted toreceive the front end portion of the tongue 180 of a conventional boattrailer referred to in generaly by the reference numeral 182therethrough. The boat trailer 182 includes the usual bow stop 184having a winch assembly 186 mounted on its upper end and the boattrailer 182 further includes boat hull cradling structure 188 and 190from which the undersurface portions of a boat referred to in general bythe reference numeral 192 are supported.

in operation, the boat loader and carrier may be mounted upon the pickuptruck in a manner which is believed apparent from the foregoingdescription after any necessary adjustments have been made to adapt theboat loader and carrier 38 to the particular pickup truck beingutilized. After the boat loader and carrier has once been mounted on thepickup truck, and it is desired to load the boat trailer 182 and theboat 192 on the pickup truck, the ramp extensions 44 are removed fromwithin the load bed assembly 18 of the truck 10 and attached to the rearends of the ramps 40 and 42. Thereafter, the follower 160 is movedrearwardly along the guide rail structure 48 to the lower end of thelatter and the tongue 180 of the boat trailer 182 is lifted off theground 98 and forwardly telescoped into the mounting sleeve portion 176and secured therein by means of the setscrew 178. Then, the windingmember or reel 140 of the winch assembly 136 may be rotated to unwindthe free end portion of the cable or tension member 142 from the windingmember 140. Then, the free end portion of the cable 142 is attached tothe frame of the trailer 182 above the rear axle assembly 196 thereofand the winch assembly 136 is actuated to draw the loaded boat trailer182 upwardly along the ramp extensions 44 and 46 and the ramps 40 and 42until the wheels of the trailer 182 are embraced by the upwardly curvingportions 78 of the ramps 40. thereafter, with tension still applied tothe cable 142, the chock assemblies 82 are secured in position on theupper ends of the ramp 40 and 42 by means of the pins 84. In thismanner, the boat trailer 182 with the boat 192 thereon may be readilyloaded onto the boat loader and carrier 138. Of course, before the truck110 is placed in transit, the ramp extensions 44 and 46 are removed andplaced within the load bed assembly 18.

It will be noted from FIG. 1 of the drawings that the ball hitch element198 at the rear of the pickup truck 10 is fully exposed when the boatloader and carrier 38 as well as the boat trailer 182 and boat 192 aremounted on the pickup truck 10 and therefore that any type of trailermay be readily trailed behind the pickup truck 10. Further, with theboat trailer 182 and boat 192 removed, the over-all height of the pickuptruck 10 is increased only slightly. Thus, the upper horizontal forwardend portion 52 of the guide rail structure 48 serves to maintain theover-all height of the pickup truck 10 with the loader 38 attached at aminimum while still enabling the loader 38 to handle a long boattrailer.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a truck including a rear load bed and a forwardelevated cab portion, a boat loading and carrying apparatus comprisingan elongated ramp structure removably supported from the rear load bedof said truck and including elongated opposite side forwardly andupwardly inclined boat trailer wheel ramps, the forward ends of whichterminate below and to the rear of the roof of said cab portion and acentral inclined guide rail, a follower guidingly engaged with the railfor movement therealong and including means for articulatively couplingthe front end portion of a boat trailer thereto, said apparatusincluding a winch system for coupling to an associated boat trailer andpulling the trailer, and its load, upwardly along said ramps, the upperend of the rail including a downwardly deflected generally horizontalupper forward end portion closely overlying the forward cab portion ofthe truck.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the rear lower ends of said rampsare supported adjacent the rear end of the load bed, and a pair ofelongated inclined rearward ramp extension having their upper endsremovably supported in longitudinal registry with the rear ends of saidramps and their lower ends disposed for support from the ground uponwhich said truck is disposed.

3. The combination of claim 1 including a pair of wheel chock assembliesremovably attachable to said ramps intermediate their upper and lowerends for disposition behind the wheels of a boat trailer disposed onsaid ramps.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said ramps include front and reardepending support portions removably supported from longitudinallyspaced portions of said load bed, a forward upright horizontallyelongated frame extending transversely of and supported from the frontend portion of said load bed, means defining elongated bracing extendinglongitudinally of the opposite sides of said load bed and interconnectedbetween said front support portions and the corresponding ends of saidframe.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said elongated bracing includesmeans whereby its effective length may be adjusted.

6. The combination of claim 4 wherein said winch system includes awinding member journaled from an upper portion of said frame and anelongated flexible tension member having one end thereof wound on saidwinding member.

7. The combination of claim 4 wherein said guide rail includes a rearupwardly inclined portion whose lower rear end is supported from therear portion of said load bed and whose upper end is supported from saidsup port frame, said downwardly deflected generally horizontal upperforward end portion of said guide rail projecting forwardly past saidsupport frame.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said frame includes opposite sideforwardly projecting and convergent brace members whose forward ends aresecured to opposite sides of the front end portion of said horizontalportion of said guide rail.

9. In combination with a truck including a rear load bed and a forwardelevated cab portion, a boat loading and carrying apparatus comprisingan elongated ramp structure removably supported from the rear load bedof said truck and including elongated opposite side forwardly andupwardlyinclined boat trailer wheel ramps and a central inclined guiderail, a follower guidingly engaged with the rail for movement therealongand including means for articulatively coupling the front end portion ofa boat trailer thereto, said apparatus including a winch system forcoupling to an associated boat trailer and pulling the trailer, and itsload, upwardly along said ramps, said ramps including front and reardepending support portions removably supported at their lower ends fromlongitudinally spaced portions of said load bed, said depending supportportions including means for adjusting the effective length of each, aforward upright horizontally elongated frame extending transversely ofand supported from the front end portion of said load bed, meansdefining elongated bracing extending longitudinally of the oppositesides of said load bed and interconnected between said front supportportions and the corresponding ends of said frame.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said elongated bracing includesmeans whereby its effective length may be adjusted.

11. The combination of claim 1 wherein the forward upper ends of saidramps terminate in generally horizontal terminal ends which curveupwardly at their forward ends, and wheel chock members removablysecured to the upper ends of said ramps immediately rearward of saidhorizontal terminal end, said chocks and said upwardly curving forwardends of said horizontal ramp terminal ends coacting to form deep boattrailer wheel receiving recesses.

12. In combination with a truck including a rear load bed and a forwardelevated cab portion, a boat loading and carrying apparatus comprisingan elongated ramp structure removably supported from the rear load bedof said truck and including elongated opposite side forwardly andupwardly inclined boat trailer wheel ramps and a central inclined guiderail, a follower guidingly engaged with the rail for movement therealongand including means for articulatively coupling the front end portion ofa boat trailer thereto, said apparatus including a winch system forcoupling to an associated boat trailer and pulling the trailer, and itsload, upwardly along said ramps, the forward upper ends of said rampsterminating in generally horizontal terminal ends which curve upwardlyat their forward ends, and wheel chock members removably secured to theupper ends of said ramps immediately rearward of said horizontalterminal end, said chocks and said upwardly curving forward ends of saidhorizontal ramp terminal ends coacting to form deep boat trailer wheelreceiving recesses.

13. The combination of claim 12 wherein said ramps include front andrear depending support portions removably supported from longitudinallyspaced portions of said load bed, said front depending support portionsbeing disposed vertically beneath said horizontal ramp terminal ends.

14. The combination of claim 1 including a boat trailer of generallyconventional design including a generally straight horizontallyextending longitudinal frame provided with (l) a forwardly projectingtongue portion, (2) means for cradling a boat hull thereon, and (3)underslung wheeled running gear means spaced forward of the rear end ofsaid frame and rearward of the longitudinal center of said frame, saidpulling tongue including means for removable securement to said followerand said wheeled running gear being rollable upwardly along said ramps.

15. In combination with a truck including a rear load bed and a forwardelevated cab portion, a boat loading and carrying apparatus comprisingan elongated ramp structure removably supported from the rear load bedof said truck and including elongated opposite side forwardly andupwardly inclined boat trailer wheel ramps and a central inclined guiderail, a follower guidingly engaged with the rail for movement therealongand including means for articulatively coupling the front end portion ofa boat trailer thereto, said apparatus including a winch system forcoupling to an associated boat trailer and pulling the trailer, and itsload, upwardly along said ramps, said ramps including front and reardepending support portions removably supported at their lower ends fromlongitudinally spaced portions of said load bed, said depending supportportions including means for adjusting the effective length of each,said upper end of said rail including a downwardly deflected generallyhorizontal upper forward end portion closely overlying the forward cabportion of said truck.

16. The combination of claim 15 including a boat trailer of generallyconventional design including a generally straight horizontallyextending longitudinal frame provided with (l) a forwardly projectingtongue portion, (2) means for cradling a boat hull thereon, and (3)underslung wheeled running gear means spaced forward of the rear end ofsaid frame and rearward of the longitudinal center of said frame, saidpulling tongue including means for removable securement to said followerand said wheeled running gear being rollable upwardly along said ramps.

1. In combination with a truck including a rear load bed and a forwardelevated cab portion, a boat loading and carrying apparatus comprisingan elongated ramp structure removably supported from the rear load bedof said truck and including elongated opposite side forwardly andupwardly inclined boat trailer wheel ramps, the forward ends of whichterminate below and to the rear of the roof of said cab portion and acentral inclined guide rail, a follower guidingly engaged with the railfor movement therealong and including means for articulatively couplingthe front end portion of a boat trailer thereto, said apparatusincluding a winch system for coupling to an associated boat trailer andpulling the trailer, and its load, upwardly along said ramps, the upperend of the rail including a downwardly deflected generally horizontalupper forward end portion closely overlying the forward cab portion ofthe truck.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the rear lower ends ofsaid ramps are supported adjacent the rear end of the load bed, and apair of elongated inclined rearward ramp extension having their upperends removably supported in longitudinal registry with the rear ends ofsaid ramps and their lower ends disposed for support from the groundupon which said truck is disposed.
 3. The combination of claim 1including a Pair of wheel chock assemblies removably attachable to saidramps intermediate their upper and lower ends for disposition behind thewheels of a boat trailer disposed on said ramps.
 4. The combination ofclaim 1 wherein said ramps include front and rear depending supportportions removably supported from longitudinally spaced portions of saidload bed, a forward upright horizontally elongated frame extendingtransversely of and supported from the front end portion of said loadbed, means defining elongated bracing extending longitudinally of theopposite sides of said load bed and interconnected between said frontsupport portions and the corresponding ends of said frame.
 5. Thecombination of claim 4 wherein said elongated bracing includes meanswhereby its effective length may be adjusted.
 6. The combination ofclaim 4 wherein said winch system includes a winding member journaledfrom an upper portion of said frame and an elongated flexible tensionmember having one end thereof wound on said winding member.
 7. Thecombination of claim 4 wherein said guide rail includes a rear upwardlyinclined portion whose lower rear end is supported from the rear portionof said load bed and whose upper end is supported from said supportframe, said downwardly deflected generally horizontal upper forward endportion of said guide rail projecting forwardly past said support frame.8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said frame includes opposite sideforwardly projecting and convergent brace members whose forward ends aresecured to opposite sides of the front end portion of said horizontalportion of said guide rail.
 9. In combination with a truck including arear load bed and a forward elevated cab portion, a boat loading andcarrying apparatus comprising an elongated ramp structure removablysupported from the rear load bed of said truck and including elongatedopposite side forwardly and upwardly inclined boat trailer wheel rampsand a central inclined guide rail, a follower guidingly engaged with therail for movement therealong and including means for articulativelycoupling the front end portion of a boat trailer thereto, said apparatusincluding a winch system for coupling to an associated boat trailer andpulling the trailer, and its load, upwardly along said ramps, said rampsincluding front and rear depending support portions removably supportedat their lower ends from longitudinally spaced portions of said loadbed, said depending support portions including means for adjusting theeffective length of each, a forward upright horizontally elongated frameextending transversely of and supported from the front end portion ofsaid load bed, means defining elongated bracing extending longitudinallyof the opposite sides of said load bed and interconnected between saidfront support portions and the corresponding ends of said frame.
 10. Thecombination of claim 9 wherein said elongated bracing includes meanswhereby its effective length may be adjusted.
 11. The combination ofclaim 1 wherein the forward upper ends of said ramps terminate ingenerally horizontal terminal ends which curve upwardly at their forwardends, and wheel chock members removably secured to the upper ends ofsaid ramps immediately rearward of said horizontal terminal end, saidchocks and said upwardly curving forward ends of said horizontal rampterminal ends coacting to form deep boat trailer wheel receivingrecesses.
 12. In combination with a truck including a rear load bed anda forward elevated cab portion, a boat loading and carrying apparatuscomprising an elongated ramp structure removably supported from the rearload bed of said truck and including elongated opposite side forwardlyand upwardly inclined boat trailer wheel ramps and a central inclinedguide rail, a follower guidingly engaged with the rail for movementtherealong and including means for articulatively coupling the front endportion of a boat trailer thereto, said apparatus including a winchsystem for coupling To an associated boat trailer and pulling thetrailer, and its load, upwardly along said ramps, the forward upper endsof said ramps terminating in generally horizontal terminal ends whichcurve upwardly at their forward ends, and wheel chock members removablysecured to the upper ends of said ramps immediately rearward of saidhorizontal terminal end, said chocks and said upwardly curving forwardends of said horizontal ramp terminal ends coacting to form deep boattrailer wheel receiving recesses.
 13. The combination of claim 12wherein said ramps include front and rear depending support portionsremovably supported from longitudinally spaced portions of said loadbed, said front depending support portions being disposed verticallybeneath said horizontal ramp terminal ends.
 14. The combination of claim1 including a boat trailer of generally conventional design including agenerally straight horizontally extending longitudinal frame providedwith (1) a forwardly projecting tongue portion, (2) means for cradling aboat hull thereon, and (3) underslung wheeled running gear means spacedforward of the rear end of said frame and rearward of the longitudinalcenter of said frame, said pulling tongue including means for removablesecurement to said follower and said wheeled running gear being rollableupwardly along said ramps.
 15. In combination with a truck including arear load bed and a forward elevated cab portion, a boat loading andcarrying apparatus comprising an elongated ramp structure removablysupported from the rear load bed of said truck and including elongatedopposite side forwardly and upwardly inclined boat trailer wheel rampsand a central inclined guide rail, a follower guidingly engaged with therail for movement therealong and including means for articulativelycoupling the front end portion of a boat trailer thereto, said apparatusincluding a winch system for coupling to an associated boat trailer andpulling the trailer, and its load, upwardly along said ramps, said rampsincluding front and rear depending support portions removably supportedat their lower ends from longitudinally spaced portions of said loadbed, said depending support portions including means for adjusting theeffective length of each, said upper end of said rail including adownwardly deflected generally horizontal upper forward end portionclosely overlying the forward cab portion of said truck.
 16. Thecombination of claim 15 including a boat trailer of generallyconventional design including a generally straight horizontallyextending longitudinal frame provided with (1) a forwardly projectingtongue portion, (2) means for cradling a boat hull thereon, and (3)underslung wheeled running gear means spaced forward of the rear end ofsaid frame and rearward of the longitudinal center of said frame, saidpulling tongue including means for removable securement to said followerand said wheeled running gear being rollable upwardly along said ramps.